Extraordinary 100ft submarine used by Colombian drug-runners discovered in remote jungle

By James White
Last updated at 2:35 PM on 4th July 2010

A submarine being prepared by drug runners to transport tons of cocaine between countries has been seized anti-nartcotics officers.
The 100ft-long diesel and electric-powered vessel was built in a remote jungle in Ecuador near the country’s border with Colombia and covered with camouflage markings.
Colombia’s drug cartels have been known to use home-built submarines to smuggle large amounts of cocaine past U.S. and Colombian patrol boats to Central America en route to the U.S.
In August 2007, U.S. forces intercepted a submarine-like vessel packed with tons of cocaine off the coast of Guatemala. And in July 2008, Mexico’s navy seized a homemade submarine carrying a drug shipment off the Pacific coast.

Meanwhile Colombia’s National Police seized a replica of a World Cup trophy, which they claim is made of cocaine.
Colombian authorities found the statue during a routine security check by anti-drug agents in a mail warehouse at Bogota’s international airport inside a box headed for Madrid, Spain.
The 11kg gold trophy,complete with engravings of football players, was found to be made of the drug mixed with a moulding agent believed to be gasoline.
The 14-inch high replica even had the word ‘Fifa’ marked on the bottom in an attempt to hoodwink authorities.